murphy



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W. M. MURPHY & H. A. BECK. HUNTERS BLIND.

No. 550,762. Patented Dec. 3, 1895.

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2K C E B A.. .D Hm wm YM. HE PM RU UH M M W No. 550,762. Patented Dec. 3, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM MILES ).[URPHY AND HERBERT AYERY BECK, OE EN ION CITY, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNORS TO SAID MURPHY AND NANNIE E. BECK, 0lil SABIE PliAt/lE.

HUNTERS BLIND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,762, dated December 3, 1895.

Application ined April 15, 1895.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM MILES MUE- PHY and HERBERT AvEEY BECK, citizens of the United States, residing' at Union City, Obion county, State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hunters Blinds, of which we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication.

Our present invention has for its object to provide for hunters of ducks, geese, and other wild fowl a simple, durable, light, and portable construction of blind that Inay be easily carried and may be readily and quickly set up for use, and this object we have accomplished by the features of invention hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure l is a view in central vertical section through a blind embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of that part of the blind that shows above the water-line. Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. l.

The main portions of the body of our blind consist, first, of a well A wherein the hunter may stand or sit; second, of a buoyant roll B whereby the well A is sustained, and, third, of a screen of blind proper C, that rises from the buoyant roll to a suiiicient distance above the water-line to effectively hide the hunter from view. By preference these several parts of our blind will be formed of canvas or like textile material thoroughly waterproofed, although, manifestly, without departing from the spirit of our invention rubber or like waterproof material might be employed.

ln order to afford a iirm support for the weight of the hunter and at the same time relieve the sides of the well from strain, we provide a platform D, that is suspended by chain s or cords E, these chains E being preferably sustained at their upper ends by a hoop F, that rests upon t-he buoyant roll B. By thus sustaining the platform D independently of the body of the well A all .strain upon the well incident to the weight or movements of the From the hoopE rise the limiter is avoided.

Serial No. 545,773. (No model.)

standards G, that support the top hoop ll, to which is connected the upper edge of the screen or blind proper C, the lower edge of this screen C extending over and being attached outside the buoyant roll B. The buoyant roll B being inflated with air through a suitable tube l) or through several tubes, if the roll be formed with compartments, will sustain the blind and its occupant, while the suspended platform D will permit the occupant of the blind to move freely therein without danger of straining or injuring the well. Vhen the hunter is within the blind, he can, by stooping or sitting, readily conceal himself from view of the incoming game and at the proper' time can stand in order to shoot.

The foregoing descripion will disclose the main features of our invention, the details of which will be next described, although we wish it distinctly understood that, except as specifically called for by our claims, the invention is not to be restricted to such details of construction. The body of the well A is formed, preferably, of a series of vertical sections-say six-that are united together by seams u., and the bottom of the well is closed by the bottom sheet d, united to the edges of the side walls of the well. The several sections that form the sides of the well A are preferably extended from the line d2 around the bottom of the buoyant roll B to the point a3, and at such point their edges are connected to the top cover d* ofthe roll. This top cover d* of the roll B is preferably formed of sections corresponding to the sections of the well A, and the edges of thecover d* are provided with eyelets, whereby the edge of the cover a* may be laced, as at d, to a strip a, that is united at the seam a2 to the body of the well A. The strip d6 may be formed of sections in order to better enable it to conform to the shape of the well. Our object in lacing the top cover a4 of the buoyant roll B to the strip d is to enable the roll to be conveniently inserted in position and withdrawn.

The buoyant roll B may be formed of sections of waterproof textile material suitably united together, or this roll might be made as a rubber tube, like the inn er tube of a bicycle tire.

IOO

The screen C is preferably formed of a number of main sections c-say eight-and between these sections are inserted a number of smaller strips or sections c-say sixteen-that serve as gores to give the proper shape to the body of the screen. Our object is to give to the screen C a con figuration imitating as closely as possible that of a tree-stump, and the outside of the screen will be painted, so as to render the imitation more perfect. The lower edges of the screen C will be united at the seam a3 to the upper edges of the sections that form the body of the well A, and the upper edge of the screen C will be connected by suitable buttons or hooks c4 to the hoop H.-

Preferably the screen C will be formed with' one or two openings c5, extending from the top to approximately the bottom thereof, so as to permit the hunter to readily enter the blind, and these openings c5 will be held normally closed by hooks and eyes c6.

The standards G, that sustain the' hoop H, and consequently the screen C, have their ends formed with tenons to enter mortisesI formed in the edges of the hoops F and H,

By preference the hoops F and H will be formed of sections united together by hinges nation with a buoyant roll orfloat and with 2 and 3, so as to permit the hoops to be folded into smaller compass and thus rendered more conveniently portable. For like reason, also, we prefer to form the support D of sections hinged together, as at 4c'. The hoop F will be held in place upon the buoyant roll B by straps f, that are attached to the cover a4 ofthe roll at convenient points.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the hunter desires to set up the blind he will inflate the buoyant roll B, will then distend the well A and set the support D in position therein and will attach the hoop F inl position by means; of the straps: f. The hoop H willi then be connected to-the'upper edge of the4 screen C, and the standards' G will then be set in position, so as to reta-inl the screen C in its distended position. I-t isE manifest that when the blind is to be carried the-buoyant roll can be readily' deiated and thev parts folded into'very'small compass. It willbe'seen, also, thatthebl-ind can be readily paddled from place to place and canbey anchored.

If desired, slitsl or sight-openings c7 may be formed at a short distance below the top of the screeny C, so as to permit the hunter tol watch for approaching game without danger of being seen.

By forming the screen C in! imitation of a stump wehavefound in practice'that it serves most effectively Jto-'deceive the game and at f the same. time affords a roomy blinds within i construction above set.- out may be varied: i

within wide limits without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A hunters blind comprising the combination with a buoyant roll or ioa't and a water-proof well sustained thereby, of an internal platform or base supported by said roll or float independently of the well.

2. A hunters blind comprising the combination with a buoyant roll or iioat and with `a water-proof well sustained thereby, of an internal platform. or base and flexible connections uniting said platform with said roll independently of the well.

y 3. In a hunters blind the combination with Q a buoyant roll or iioat and with awater-proof i well sustained thereby, of a removable platform or base formed of folding sections.

4. A hunters blind comprising the combii nation of a buoyant roll or float, and with a water-proof well sustained thereby, of an in ternal platform or base, and a hoop supi ported by said roll and with which said platfform or base is connected. K

5". A hunters blind comprising vthe combia water-proof well sustained thereby, of a screen rising from said roll and suitable supports extending from said roll and connected to the top of said screen.

6. A hunters blind comprising the combination with abuoyant roll or float, and a water-proof well sustained thereby, of a screen having its base expanded and extending over the buoyant roll or iioat and having its top contracted, a hoop at the baseof said screen and a hoop at the top of said screen,vto which top hoop the said screen is connected and suitable standards between said hoops to'h-old the screen in distended condition.

7. A huntersblind comprising the combination with a buoyant roll or iloat and with a water-proof well sustained thereby, of a screen having its'bottom extending over said roll? or float, a hoop connected to the top' of said screen, a hoop resting upon said roll or g float; both of said hoops being formed of fold'- ing between said hoops'.A

8. A hun-ters blind comprising. they combination with-awell formed of water-proof materi'al, of a buoyant roll= and a cover' for said roll connected' with thev body of the well',- the l cover of saidrol-l being formed withan openiing to' permit the roll to be readily insertedl or removed.A

WILLIAM rrrLEs ivrURPrrY.

which the huntercany stand or sit and willi be HERBERT AVERY BECK' protected from the wind andI water. I-t is manifest that the" preciseV details of Vitnesees:

PL S; MURPHY,

J'. l?. VERHINE.

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